We want people who support our aims to be involved in our work. There are different ways that you can get involved – you can join or set up a local group working with Right to Remain, attend our events and training sessions across the country, participate in campaigns and social media exchanges and more. There is info on this activity across the website, and our Facebook and Twitter accounts etc. You can also become a member of the company. Read more about that here…
Right to Remain is a company limited by guarantee, a special type of company for non-profit making organisations and charities. The company has members, which are like shareholders but, instead of buying shares, members join free of charge and give a guarantee. The guarantee is a form you fill in to become a member, promising to pay £1.00 if the company goes bust. Anyone who supports our aims and principles can join as a member. Membership allows you take part in the governance of the company, and to elect (or become) company directors, who are members with responsibility and legal duties to ensure the organisation is run in accordance with its aims and the relevant laws.
The rights of company members
The rights of members are set out in the Companies Act and in our constitution – the Articles of Association. All members have the right to be notified of and attend general meetings of the company, and to vote at these meetings. Members attend the Annual General Meeting to receive the audited accounts, appoint the auditors for the next financial year, hear the directors annual report and financial report and vote in the directors for the following year (if necessary).
Members can help to shape the work that we do.
For example:
Right to Remain is governed by a Management Committee of unpaid directors, elected by the members. If you become a member you can vote in the Committee elections, or you can put yourself forward for election.
An important part of the Management Committee’s work is to make sure that the organisation is doing the right work to carry out the aims of Right to Remain. Members are sometimes asked for their thoughts and ideas on how we work, and may be asked to vote for or against changes.
How to join
If you want to join Right to Remain, download the membership form.
You must sign the form and then either email a scanned copy of the signed form to home@righttoremain.org.uk or post the signed form to:
Right to Remain
18 Victoria Park Square
London E2 9PF
The Register of members
Under the law, Right to Remain must keep a register of the names and addresses of members. This register is open to inspection by Companies House (the body that regulates the companies). Under certain circumstances, we are also required by law to provide the list to anyone who requests it, as long as they state it is for a purpose allowed by the Companies Act 2006. This could be, for example, if a member wishes to write to all the other members on business relating to the organisation. The full details of the register and who can access it can be found in the law, here.
Remember! You don’t have to be a member to be involved. Members and non-members alike can support our work: keep updated with our campaigns and news about asylum, immigration and human rights on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, or by signing up for emails.
Information for Members
(i) Membership is open to all individuals and organisations which support our aims and objectives. See below.
(ii) While membership is free, you should know that we are a company limited by guarantee. This means that you might be required to pay a maximum of £1.00 in total if we ever had to close without enough money to pay our debts.
(iii) We keep the register of members at our Head Office. They are open to inspection by the authority which is responsible for ensuring that organisations such as ours are properly run, and may be made available to other members or non-members under certain circumstances.
(iv) Members will be invited to attend the Right to Remain Annual General Meeting, and will be able to vote there, including having the right to exercise a vote by proxy (proxy vote means another member can vote for you, if you cannot come to the meeting).
(v) Members can apply to join the management committee of Right to Remain.
(vi) Members will periodically be invited to re-confirm membership and details, in order to remain on the register.
Our constitution
Right to Remain is governed by Articles of Association, which have been approved by our members and are formally on record.
The aims/objectives of Right to Remain are:
1.The relief of persons who are refugees, displaced persons, asylum seekers and immigrants, including those at risk of deportation, who are in conditions of need, hardship and distress including but not limited to the provision of information, advice and support.
2.To advance education and raise awareness about the status, rights and needs of refugees, displaced persons, asylum seekers and immigrants including by training and capacity building local groups and communities to provide information, advice and support.
3. To promote human rights (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998) by all or any of the following means:
a. Monitoring abuses of human rights;
b. Obtaining redress for victims of human rights abuse;
c. Relieving needs among the victims of human rights abuse;
d. Research into human rights issues;
e. Educating the public about human rights;
f. Contributing to the sound administration of human rights law;
g. Raising awareness of human rights issues;
h. Promoting public support for human rights;
i. Promoting respect for human rights among individuals and organisations;
j. Eliminating infringements of human rights.